BRUNSWICK, Maine — Brunswick police are investigating the theft of nine marijuana plants from two licensed growers on Thursday.

Officers responded to a Thomas Point Road home Friday morning after two residents reported that nine plants growing outside their home had been cut and stolen overnight, Brunswick police Officer Julia Gillespie said Saturday.

The unripe plants were cut at the base and although “relatively mature,” could not yet be harvested for use, Gillespie said. However, had they grown to maturity, they would have yielded a street value of approximately $36,000.

The two residents are both licensed to grow six plants for their own use. Only nine of 12 plants at were stolen.

The culprit, who Gillespie said likely had knowledge of the home, broke through the locks and climbed into an area protected by barbed wire and chicken wire to access the plants. They most likely “got spooked” before stealing all 12 plants, she said.

Gillespie said the theft — which because of the value of the plants rises to a felony level — occurred between 10:30 p.m. Thursday and daylight Friday.